Edwin "Ed" Meese III (born December 2, 1931 in Oakland, California) is an attorney, law professor, and author who served in official capacities within the Ronald Reagan Gubernatorial Administration (1967-1974), the Reagan Presidential Transition Team (1980), and the Reagan White House (1981-1985), eventually rising to hold the position of the seventy-fifth Attorney General of the United States (1985-1988). He currently holds fellowships and chairmanships with several public policy councils and think tanks, including the Constitution Project and the Heritage Foundation.

Meese is the eldest of four sons born to Edwin Jr. and Leone Meese. His father was an Oakland city government official, president of the Zion Lutheran Church, and served 24 years in the non-partisan office of Treasurer of Alameda County.

At age ten, Meese published along with his brothers a mimeographed neighborhood newspaper, the Weekly Herald, and used the proceeds to buy a War Bond. The young Meese also rode a bicycle on a paper route and worked in a drugstore. At Oakland High School, Meese led his high school debate team to statewide championships and was recognized as valedictorian, class of 1946. Two weeks prior to graduation, he was accepted to Yale University and granted a scholarship. Meese served as president of the Yale Political Union, chairman of the Conservative Party, and chairman of the Yale Debating Association. Meese made the dean's list, and graduated with a bachelor of arts of political science in 1953.